Checked prints are coming back into fashion, making the most of new technologies and modernising their aesthetic and manufacturing methods alike.

prints that blend tradition and modernity

Checked prints are being brought up to date and taking on quasi-futuristic looks that offer them a new lease of life. With all due respect to hypnotic or holographic motifs, traditional houndstooth check and Prince of Wales check prints are being given a twist at the very heart of their production using new manufacturing processes, such as coatings or polyurethane films.

Whether classic or on ready-to-print (textile or film) backgrounds, these new-generation, ultra-fine fabrics also feature subtly gummy and rubbery feels for diverse textile applications.

50 shades of tech check

At the manufacturer ITS AREA, these new “tech checks” come on a polyurethane base, in a relatively light-coloured Prince of Wales check version that we can find in the AW20-21 Menswear Trenbook, page 38 (which will be released next week) and in the AW20-21 Kids Trenbook (page 72). On the strength of its British roots, it adds a vintage touch to winter looks, blending nature and tradition, without denying them an ounce of modernity.

On the other hand, at FRIZZA, these high-tech checks are displayed in darker shades, twisted with a polyurethane and polyamide blend with coating. Mackintosh-style on a men’s waterproof, for example, it offers a way of revisiting outdoor wardrobe essentials while combining elegance and technical expertise. These complementary qualities have won over our designers with conviction and spontaneity.

Also, you can find those 2 fabrics in the AW20-21 Textiles Study (page 31).

Also note that during the last edition of Première Vision Paris, this range of fabrics was mentioned on a special focus.